Nothing. When we realized you weren’t here we sat with our hands folded on our desks in silence, for the full two hours.
Everything. I gave an exam worth 40 percent of the grade for this term and assigned some reading due today on which I’m about to hand out a quiz worth 50 percent.
Nothing. None of the content of this course has value or meaning Take as many days off as you like: any activities we undertake as a class I assure you will not matter either to you or me and are without purpose.
Everything. A few minutes after we began last time a shaft of light suddenly descended and an angel or other heavenly being appeared and revealed to us what each woman or man must do to attain divine wisdom in this life andthe hereafter This is the last time the class will meet before we disperse to bring the good news to all people on earth.
Nothing. When you are not present how could something significant occur?
Everything. Contained in this classroom is a microcosm of human experience assembled for you to query and examine and ponder This is not the only place such an opportunity has been gathered.
but it was one place.
And you weren’t here.
Look
Label
Decide
Whole poem
imagery
everything you need to know is hidden inside.
lines 1, 4, 9, 15, 23, 25
repetition
the person wasn't there and he missed everything and nothing at the same time.
"How Was School Today?" by Meena Holland
Wonderful! Justin Bieber came and gave us a concert! He brought Usher along with him. Then he asked me and my friends to record a song him in a recording studio.
Horrible! The entire school caught on fire and we had to go to Africa and meet a chinese person named Kang. He told us to go back home.
Wonderful! When we went outside, I got robbed by a clown. Then he took me to the circus where he worked at and I became an astronaut.
Horrible! Our class chicken died and we had a funeral. After that we went to Dairy Queen. They ran out of all their ice cream except the chicken flavored one so we all had to eat chicken flavored ice cream, which only reminded us of our class chicken. :(
Wonderful! My best friend and I found a unicorn named Phabio and we flew to his house, made out of Lucky Charms, at the end of the rainbow.
Horrible! I found out my teacher's were a gang of robbers and that they were gonna rob the school!
__
"Dreams" by Langston Hughes
Hold fast to dreams for if dreams die life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly. Hold fast to dreams for when dreams go life is a barren field frozen with snow.
Look
Label
Decide
Lines 6-8
imagery
Don't let your dreams go. Achieve them.
Whole poem
lesson
Keep your dreams and try to achieve them.
"Love" by Meena Holland Hold tight to love for if love dies life is like broken glass that you cannot fix. Hold tight to love for when love goes life is an empty plate stored away in the cupboard.
__
"The Microphone" by Unknown All eyes are on the microphone Pft, Bumpt, Bumpt, Ptf The beatboxer makes a pulse come through the speakers like Whoosh! Saliva drips from every ear Soon we hear... Budump! Boodoop! Budump! Boom Bap!!
Look
Label
Decide
Lines 2, 4, and 7
Italics
to let the reader know when a sound is there.
Whole poem
imagery
the audience is eager to hear what the microphone has to say.
"The Singer" by Meena Holland
All eyes are on the singer Bump, Bam, Bam, Bump The singer makes a pulse come through the microphone like Boom! Saliva drips from every ear Soon we hear... La la loooo! Ba da da daaa!
_
"The Rose That Grew From Concrete" by Tupac Shakur
Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete? Proving nature's law is wrong it learned to walk without having feet. Funny it seems, but by keeping it's dreams, it learned to breathe fresh air. Long live the rose that grew from concrete when no one else ever cared.
Look
Label
Decide
Line 6
imagery
it learned to grow on its own without anybodys help.
Whole poem
lesson
You don't need somebodys help to grow. You can grow as a person all on your own.
"The Light That Grew From Darkness" by Meena Holland
Have you ever heard of the light that grew from a room full of darkness? Proving whoever thought that light couldn't grow in darkness wrong. Funny it seems, but by keeping it's dreams, it learned to stand up to darkness. Long live the light that grew from darkness when no one else ever cared.
_
"Personification Poem" by Unknown
My report card smiled, showing off straight A's. My house no longer sang the Blues. It's great to have happy grades, live in a neighborhood that is happy with you.
Look
Label
Decide
lines 1 and 3
personification
the objects in the poem did things that a human can do but the pbject can't do in real life.
Whole poem
lesson
when you do good things, your environment is happy.
"My Poem" by Meena Holland
My phone smiled, showing off it's new features. My house no longer mopes all day. It's great to have a happy phone, live in a house that is happy like you.
_
"Magical Eraser" by Shel Silverstein
She wouldn't believe this pencil has a magical eraser. She said i was a silly moo, she said i was a liar too, she dared me to prove that it was true, so what could i do- I erased her!
Look
Label
Decide
lines 4, 5 and 6
repetition
to emphasize what she did.
Whole poem
lesson
trust what someone has to say, even if it sounds ridiculous.
"Magical Pencil" by Meena Holland
He wouldn't believe this pencil is a magical pencil. He said i was a silly goose, he said i was a fibber too, he dared me to prove that i was telling the truth, so what did I do- I banished him and drew a new guy!
_
"Gardener" by Shel Silverstein
We gave you the chance to water the plants. We didn't mean that way-- Now zip up your pants.
Look
Label
Decide
Whole poem
lesson
think before you do.
Whole poem
imagery
the author didn't want to say what the kid did. He wanted the reader to decide or figure out what the kid is doing.
"Waiter" by Meena Holland We gave you a link to get us a drink. Nooo not that way-- Now pull your pants up in a blink.
_
"Peace" by Sri Chinmoy
Peace silences the nightmares of the mind. Peace feeds the dreams of the heart.
Look
Label
Decide
Whole poem
lesson
all you need is peace.
lines 1 and 3
repitition
peace is important and the author wanted to emphasize it.
"Love" by Meena Holland
Love silences the unwanted thoughts in the head. Love feeds the hopes in the soul.
Meena's Poetry Project
"Did I Miss Anything?" by Tom WaymanNothing. When we realized you weren’t here
we sat with our hands folded on our desks
in silence, for the full two hours.
Everything. I gave an exam worth
40 percent of the grade for this term
and assigned some reading due today
on which I’m about to hand out a quiz
worth 50 percent.
Nothing. None of the content of this course
has value or meaning
Take as many days off as you like:
any activities we undertake as a class
I assure you will not matter either to you or me
and are without purpose.
Everything. A few minutes after we began last time
a shaft of light suddenly descended and an angel
or other heavenly being appeared
and revealed to us what each woman or man must do
to attain divine wisdom in this life andthe hereafter
This is the last time the class will meet
before we disperse to bring the good news to all people
on earth.
Nothing. When you are not present
how could something significant occur?
Everything. Contained in this classroom
is a microcosm of human experience
assembled for you to query and examine and ponder
This is not the only place such an opportunity has been
gathered.
but it was one place.
And you weren’t here.
inside.
everything and nothing at the same
time.
"How Was School Today?" by Meena Holland
Wonderful! Justin Bieber came and gave
us a concert! He brought Usher along with him.
Then he asked me and my friends to record
a song him in a recording studio.
Horrible! The entire school caught on fire
and we had to go to Africa and meet a
chinese person named Kang. He told us
to go back home.
Wonderful! When we went outside, I got robbed
by a clown. Then he took me to the circus where
he worked at and I became an astronaut.
Horrible! Our class chicken died and we
had a funeral. After that we went to Dairy
Queen. They ran out of all their ice cream
except the chicken flavored one so we all
had to eat chicken flavored ice cream, which
only reminded us of our class chicken. :(
Wonderful! My best friend and I found a
unicorn named Phabio and we flew to his
house, made out of Lucky Charms, at
the end of the rainbow.
Horrible! I found out my teacher's were a
gang of robbers and that they were gonna
rob the school!
__
"Dreams" by Langston Hughes
Hold fast to dreams
for if dreams die
life is a broken-winged bird
that cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams
for when dreams go
life is a barren field
frozen with snow.
Achieve them.
try to achieve them.
Hold tight to love
for if love dies
life is like broken glass
that you cannot fix.
Hold tight to love
for when love goes
life is an empty plate
stored away in the cupboard.
__
"The Microphone" by Unknown
All eyes are on the microphone
Pft, Bumpt, Bumpt, Ptf
The beatboxer makes a pulse
come through the speakers like Whoosh!
Saliva drips from every ear
Soon we hear...
Budump! Boodoop! Budump! Boom Bap!!
a sound is there.
what the microphone has to say.
All eyes are on the singer
Bump, Bam, Bam, Bump
The singer makes a pulse
come through the microphone like Boom!
Saliva drips from every ear
Soon we hear...
La la loooo! Ba da da daaa!
_
"The Rose That Grew From Concrete" by Tupac Shakur
Did you hear about the rose that grew
from a crack in the concrete?
Proving nature's law is wrong it
learned to walk without having feet.
Funny it seems, but by keeping it's dreams,
it learned to breathe fresh air.
Long live the rose that grew from concrete
when no one else ever cared.
without anybodys help.
help to grow. You can grow
as a person all on your own.
Have you ever heard of the light that grew
from a room full of darkness?
Proving whoever thought that light
couldn't grow in darkness wrong.
Funny it seems, but by keeping it's dreams,
it learned to stand up to darkness.
Long live the light that grew from darkness
when no one else ever cared.
_
"Personification Poem" by Unknown
My report card smiled,
showing off straight A's.
My house no longer sang the Blues.
It's great to have happy grades,
live in a neighborhood that is happy with you.
did things that a human
can do but the pbject can't
do in real life.
your environment is happy.
My phone smiled,
showing off it's new features.
My house no longer mopes all day.
It's great to have a happy phone,
live in a house that is happy like you.
_
"Magical Eraser" by Shel Silverstein
She wouldn't believe
this pencil has
a magical eraser.
She said i was a silly moo,
she said i was a liar too,
she dared me to prove that it was true,
so what could i do-
I erased her!
she did.
to say, even if it sounds
ridiculous.
"Magical Pencil" by Meena Holland
He wouldn't believe
this pencil is
a magical pencil.
He said i was a silly goose,
he said i was a fibber too,
he dared me to prove that i was telling the truth,
so what did I do-
I banished him and drew a new guy!
_
"Gardener" by Shel Silverstein
We gave you the chance
to water the plants.
We didn't mean that way--
Now zip up your pants.
the kid did. He wanted the reader
to decide or figure out what the kid is
doing.
We gave you a link
to get us a drink.
Nooo not that way--
Now pull your pants up in a blink.
_
"Peace" by Sri Chinmoy
Peace
silences the nightmares of the mind.
Peace
feeds the dreams of the heart.
wanted to emphasize it.
"Love" by Meena Holland
Love
silences the unwanted thoughts in the head.
Love
feeds the hopes in the soul.